[Xmca-l] Re: Not too long and not too short

[Glassman, Michael]

I definitely agree that it should be place based space vs. cyberspace rather than real space vs. cyberspace.  I would also say that most successful online endeavors are not transfers of place based activities to cyberspace - cyberspace activities are unique activities.  Most successful virtual communities - and I feel comfortable saying I would consider lchc/xmca one of the more successful virtual communities/educational platforms in the short history of the Internet (really somebody should do a dissertation and/or write an article for WIRED on the listserv) - generally limit posts to approximately 20 lines.  This is generally (almost always) what works for communities based on Bulletin Board System/conference communities which I think xmca is.  Psychological reasons for this - I don't know, but there are definitely structural reasons which I won't go into (because it would shine a light on my own hypocrisy).  If you move past that you are generally into another form of Internet posting - basically long form blogging.  There are community blogging communities but xmca does not use that type of platform.    In the time I have been on xmca there have been a few people who regularly posted very long messages but these were trusted users - this is not a title bestowed on anybody - it is a part of any successful virtual community and is part of overt or natural systems of online governance - lchc/xmca has always used an organic form of governance - don't ask me how that comes about, I also don't know, but I would point you to Howard Rheingold's writing on the WELL (Whole Earth Lectronic Link).  This does not mean people should count their lines (which like an idiot I just did) but that the one screen rule is not arbitrary but may be instrumental for the community.

Happy Holidays

Michael (No the name does not count as a line!!!)
________________________________________
From: xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu [xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu] on behalf of Annalisa Aguilar [annalisa@unm.edu]
Sent: Monday, December 22, 2014 8:27 PM
To: Andy Blunden; eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity
Subject: [Xmca-l] Re: Not too long and not too short

Andy,

My conception would be meaning-making, which is all and none of the above.

Kind regards,

Annalisa

    > a kind of scientific symposium or maybe a conference?
    > or an after dinner conversation? (or maybe a staffroom conversation)?
    > a formal decision making meeting, where we address the Chair, make amendments, etc.?
    > a Occupy-type general meeting?

> Or is "none of the above" the only answer?